Underground residential electric and distribution systems have primary and secondary voltage cables direct buried in trenches, usually at curbside. To maintain the watertight integrity of these systems, all cable connectors, including splices, are insulated watertight.
Advances in elastomer technology have generated the development of insulated splice covers which are now in common use. They have largely eliminated the use of tape and various compounds for insulating splices because of the considerable installed costs for these systems. The use of these splice covers substantially reduces such costs. Splice covers have also been applied over splices and cables by heat shrinking. This not only requires expensive equipment at the site, but also means that the cover must be destroyed in order to have access to the splice. Accordingly, elastomeric splice covers which are slidable along the cables and the splice itself are now in use. These provide watertight integrity about the cable insulation and an interference fit between the cover and splice so as to enhance heat dissipation.
The splice assemblies that are the subject of this invention are generally for use on cables rated up to 600 volts. A typical splice cover has a watertight fit about the cables where the ends of the splice cover meet with the cables. As is generally the case at the present time, the ends of these splice covers include circular ribs within the ends so as to enhance the watertight integrity of the splice. One problem inherent with this type of splice is that while the splice itself is flexible, the ends are not expandable to any degree and, therefore, a specific splice must be used for a specific size cable.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a splice cover having ends which provide both radial expansion and longitudinal extension.
A further object of the invention is to provide a splice cover which can accommodate more than one size of cable while maintaining the watertight integrity of the fit about the cable insulation and an interference fit between the splice and the cover.
These and other objects of the invention will become obvious from the following description taken together with the drawings.